March is Women’s History Month
This year we not only honor the women who have changed our world, but celebrate the centennial of Women’s Suffrage in California. In 1911, after a long, hard fought campaign, California voters approved Senate Constitutional Amendment 8, also called Proposition 4, giving women the right to vote.
California was the 6th state to support this inflatable water slide right for women. The victory doubled the number of women nationally who were allowed to cast ballots, as California had as many women combined as the five previous states to approve women suffrage (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Washington). These rights were not enshrined in the U.S. Constitution until the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment.
To celebrate this month and commemorate the centennial, the California State Library and its California Research Bureau have created a page-a-day calendar posted on the CSL homepage at www.library.ca.gov. Each day highlights some of the California women and events that have transformed our state. Many of the images and ephemera are from the unique collection of the State Library.
Submitted by Linda Wilson, Monterey Park
Stacey A. Aldrich, State Librarian of California
I’m glad Linda Wilson is actively writting articles in your publicaton. I remember last year you had an article about this time detailing, for the most part, with what women went through to get their right to vote. Many of them litterally went through hell.
I never knew those women who were active in that movement were so badly treated. It’s just like everything else in life……….some people will suffer torment to fight, not just for themselves, but for all to earn a right for the freedom to do something as important as this. And after they win the battle…the right, no matter what it is. It’s taken for granted and never hold honor for what these women had to go through….the same thing happened to our war veterans who went to fight for their country.
When I became of age to vote, I have never missed an opportunity to vote. I really feel it’s a previlegeto exercise your right to vote. And I felt that way long before I knew of the Women’s Suffrage. No wonder they named it suffrage,
Thank Linda for me for keeping the pioneering spirit of women alive, and you too, Nancy . Good article.